Sports
Unai Emery is the perfect manager to improve Alex Iwobi
Over the last couple of days, the future of Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has been a hot topic of discussion.
Much of that is ostensibly down to speculation linking him to a move to Italy, with Lazio rumoured to be interested. Now 22, and with a new manager at the helm at Arsenal, this summer is a pivotal one for Iwobi, who has been with the Gunners since the age of eight.
Unai Emery very quickly surmised that Jack Wilshere did not feature in his plans, allowing him to leave the club. However, the England international was out of contract anyway; Iwobi’s current deal still has two years to run, and while that is ample, he will expect to receive an offer for an extension before entering the final year of his deal next summer.
In that sense, Iwobi will be playing for his Arsenal future this season, provided he doesn’t move, of course. If he does, the challenge will be a much different one: how well would he adapt to a new footballing environment and a different culture?
Serie A’s more cerebral, contemplative stylings would no doubt take some getting used to, however, if there is a player suited to making the transition, it would be the ‘Big 17’.
His ability to inhabit the frame of the game perfectly makes him quite elusive, not so much a conductor as a chameleon.
He can be just as influential in a slower-paced side, and it would be interesting to watch him build a rapport with the prolific duo of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile.
He would also be the highest profile Nigeria international in Italy perhaps since Taye Taiwo’s short-lived spell at AC Milan almost a decade ago.
It might very well spark renewed interest in Serie A in Nigeria – combined with Simeon Nwankwo’s breakout season at Crotone last term, and the ubiquity in preseason of former youth international Kingsley Michael at Bologna.
It would be somewhat disappointing though were that to happen.
Following his sudden rise to first-team prominence two years ago, and the honeymoon that followed, Iwobi appeared to hit a wall under former manager Arsene Wenger, shunted around into various positions and drifting in and out of the team.
The sense was that, while Wenger’s more laid-back, improvisatory approach to management suited a young, upcoming Iwobi, he needed something more structured to continue his development.
It is a tenuous contrast, but his more effective showings with the national team under Gernot Rohr’s less fluid organization lend credence to this idea.
In that sense, the Arsenal board hit a home run in selecting Emery, an intense, obsessive manager who loves to work with players individually and has a strong track record of improving them.
He could well be the perfect manager for Iwobi, a player who has come to be severely underappreciated by his fanbase.
His skillset is pretty unique within the Arsenal squad: he works superbly well in tight spaces, displaying the composure and quick feet required to receive the ball and side-step challenges. He will, however, need to improve on his productivity in front of goal; ironically, he scores quite frequently for Nigeria, which suggests this is a foible very easily addressed.
Another area where he will also need licking into shape is in his defensive contribution. The player has gone on the record to state that he does not enjoy defending, and his efforts in that regard are often perfunctory rather than conscientious.
If he is to be relevant under Emery, this will have to change. The former Paris Saint-Germain boss is cautious in big games, and has been known to deploy two full-backs in tandem to protect the wide areas. As this is the zone he will most likely patrol, Iwobi will have to embrace the more quotidian aspects in order to impress.
That is the reality that he now faces: stay or leave, the direction in which he goes this summer will demand a great deal of work and growth from Iwobi. Both directions will shake him quite vigorously out of his comfort zone. How he embraces the challenge will determine whether he can begin to fulfil his potential as he enters his prime years.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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